Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineers play a very important role in medicine. They design technologies that help solve problems with the human body, which can include x-rays, artificial limbs, casts, braces, and even surgical instruments. They work closely with doctors and nurses to improve upon technologies that already help solve problems related to medicine and the human body.

Designing our knee braces is no easy feat! Using a wide variety of materials, it is important to see how each material's properties can be useful (or not) in a knee brace. Some materials are sticky, while others are not. Some provide a great opportunity to stretch around the knee, while others are rigid and won't provide any movement. While it is important to know the properties of different materials, it is also important to brainstorm how they can specifically be used in a design. Will they be used as a strap to adjust for sizing purposes? Can they be stretched to provide support? Will they allow the person to take the knee brace off easily when they don't need it? With extended use, will they return back to their original shape?